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Other than the obvious as in it becoming a coach's game aiming for a conservative 1-0 win with an ultra defensive formation accompanied by plenty of walking and even standing still with the ball and almost zero player creativity, here are other things about the game today that I don't like:

Hydration breaks: It's no hotter than it was the past 100 years so enough with treating the players like wusses. What's next, orange slices?


Endless subs: It used to be 2 subs total. Later they also added a goalkeeper sub. Today the sub situation is like a rec youth soccer game.


Uniforms: Teams had set first and secondary kits. For example Germany wore white/black/white when possible and green/white/green as a backup. In the past 10 years I've seen them wear black, red, red and black stripes, and purple jerseys. It's seems like teams just put on whatever jersey is at the top of their drawer.


Socks: Some players cut them at the ankle and wear them like a sleeve. Others rip holes in them. If any of this is actually beneficial then why aren't they being manufactured like this to begin with?


Single leg tights: I noticed this during the Olympics. What is the harm in wearing full tights?


Player lying down during free kicks: It looks so stupid like someone has gotten shot. For the record I can't remember a single time where this has blocked a low shot.


Expansion of tournaments: It used to be an honor to qualify for a World or continental championship. Now with participation awards for anyone who can kick a ball the excitement of qualification is gone.


Ticket prices: I used to be able to afford season tickets to MLS games with them averaging less than 10 bucks per game. The prices now have tripled meaning most people including me have to be selective in which games to attend. Forget about a game featuring Messi or exhibitions featuring top European teams. The last time the World Cup was here in 1994 I was a college student and yet was able to afford and attend 5 games and only didn't go to more due to location or ticket availability. For 2026, ticket prices will largely dictate how many, if any, games I get to go to.


VAR: Some decisions should be left to the refs. Human error is part of the game. If we are going to digitally micro analyze calls then the game might as well be played on an XBox.


Injury time: I'm not sure what happened since 2022 that warranted 10+ minutes of injury time per game. Three or four minutes is what it should be.


 

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